Asia Pacific: Recovering CO2 to grow tomatoes

AGL Energy Limited and Air Liquide have commissioned a plant at its Torrens Island power station in the South Australian capital Adelaide to recover carbon dioxide (CO2).

The plant is being operated by Air Liquide to capture and purify up to 50,000 tons of CO2 emissions from the power station’s exhaust per year.

It is the first plant to capture CO2 from a power station for the carbon dioxide market in Australia.

Air Liquide will sell the gas to the merchant CO2 market in South Australia for carbon dioxide enrichment in greenhouses for tomato growing, carbonated drinks, reducing the pH in water treatment facilities, including the desalination and modified atmosphere packaging for soft drinks and beer.

Air Liquide Australia Limited MD Michele Gritti said although the company had commissioned similar plants in other countries, it was the first time it had been rolled out in Australia.

“In most of the cases CO2 is captured from petrochemical sources that generate a stream which is more concentrated, therefore requiring a lower investment than the one at Torrens Island,” he said.

“The capture and storage of CO2 is critical to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and makes clean energy a reality.”

South Australia was the first Australian state to introduce container deposit legislation, ban plastic shopping bags and achieve a recycling rate of almost 80%.

The state also leads the nation in the uptake of wind energy and roof-top solar with renewable sources accounting for more than 40% of the electricity generated in the state.